Crossing the Red Sea: Preschool Sunday School Lesson (Ages 3-5)
Ages 3-5 · 30 minutes · free lesson plan · Exodus 14:10-31
Preschoolers act out God dividing the sea, walk a path between blue waves, make a sea path picture and learn Exodus 14:14. They learn that God is with us when we are scared.
Memory verse
The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. (Exodus 14:14, KJV)
Lesson objectives
- Children will retell that God opened the sea and rescued His people.
- Children will say that God is with us when we are afraid.
- Children will say the memory verse with actions: "The LORD shall fight for you."
The full lesson plan
Welcome and Feeling Brave (4 min)
Setup: Tape a straight path on the floor. Children sit in a circle.
Say: "Good morning, friends! We are glad you are here."
Greet each child by name. Then ask, "Have you ever felt scared?" Let them show a scared face.
Say: "Today we hear about people who were very scared. God helped them!"
Sing or chant with actions: "God is with me, God is with me, I am not afraid!" (Hug yourself, then shake your head no.) Repeat three times.
Say: "Now let's hear what God did."
The Story: Through the Sea (5 min)
Tell it in order, with actions.
Say: "God's people, the Israelites, saw the Egyptians coming after them. They were very afraid and cried out to the LORD." (Make a scared face.)
Say: "Moses said, 'Fear not. Stand still and see how the LORD will save you.'" (Stand still.)
Say: "God told Moses to lift up his rod and stretch out his hand over the sea." (Lift your arm.)
Say: "The sea divided! The people walked through on dry ground. The water stood like a wall on each side." (Hands up like walls; walk fingers.)
Say: "The Egyptians followed. Then Moses stretched out his hand again, and the water came back." (Lower arms slowly.)
Say: "The people saw what God did. They trusted the LORD."
Say: "Wow! Now let's think about God's help."
God Is Bigger Than Scary Things (4 min)
Say: "The people were stuck. The sea was in front of them. They could not fix it, but God could."
Hold up one blue cloth. Say: "Only God can open a sea!"
Say: "God was taking care of His people, even when they were scared."
Say: "God is with us when we feel scared, too. We can tell Him, 'God, help me!'"
Background: Later in the Bible, God sent Jesus to rescue us. God still loves and rescues His people.
Teach the verse with actions:
"The LORD" (point up)
"shall fight for you" (strong arms)
"and ye shall hold your peace" (finger on lips, then a calm breath).
Repeat it together three times.
Say: "Now let's walk through the sea!"
Game: Walk Through the Sea (5 min)
Setup: The taped path is on the floor. Two adults hold the blue cloths low along each side of the path, like waves.
Time: 5 minutes.
1. Say: "Hold hands with your buddy. We are the Israelites."
2. Children walk slowly, never running, down the path between the "waves".
3. As they walk, the group says: "The LORD shall fight for you!"
4. At the end, the adults gently lower the cloths and say, "God saved His people!"
5. Cheer, then line up for another turn.
Say: "Great walking! Now let's make a sea picture."
Craft: Sea Path Picture (5 min)
Setup: Pre-cut the blue strips. Give each child a sheet of paper, a glue stick and crayons.
Safety: Teachers cut all paper; children use only glue sticks. Check for allergies and supervise closely.
Time: 5 minutes.
1. Children color a brown or yellow path down the middle of the paper.
2. Help them glue blue strips on the left side as a water wall.
3. Glue blue strips on the right side.
4. Children draw themselves walking on the path.
5. Write each child's name and "The LORD shall fight for you."
Say: "God made a path! Look at your picture and remember."
Talk Time (3 min)
Sit together with pictures. Ask one question at a time and let children answer, or show an action.
1. What did God do for His people at the sea? (He made a path through the water.)
2. How did the people feel when they were scared? (Afraid.)
3. Who is with us when we are scared? (God.)
4. What can we say to God when we are scared? (God, help me!)
Say: "God is bigger than the scariest thing."
Say: "Let's finish with our verse and a prayer."
Verse and Prayer (4 min)
Say the verse with actions two times: "The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."
Pray, with children repeating each line:
"Dear God, thank You for saving Your people.
Thank You for being with us.
When we are scared, help us to trust You.
Amen."
Say: "Take your picture home and tell someone what God did."
Say: "Goodbye, friends! God is with you!"
Hand each child their picture at the door.
Materials
- Two blue cloths or scarves (for the sea)
- Masking tape (for the path on the floor)
- White paper, one sheet per child
- Crayons
- Blue paper strips, pre-cut by the teacher
- Glue sticks
Teacher notes
- Keep the story simple and add no extra details. Use the actions so children can follow along.
- Safety: Teachers do all the cutting. Glue sticks only. Check for allergies and supervise closely. Children walk, never run, in the game.
- Adaptation: Give a quieter option, such as watching or holding a cloth. Use pictures, and let buddies help each other. Younger children can use fewer strips.
- If a child is very afraid of water, focus on God's care and skip the wall-of-water actions.
Send it home with parents
Today we heard how God opened the sea so His people could walk through on dry ground and be safe. God rescues us, and He is with us when we are scared.
- What did God do at the sea?
- What can you say to God when you feel scared?
Make a path with two blue towels on the floor. Walk through slowly together and say, "The LORD shall fight for you."
At bedtime, pray one short prayer: "God, help me not to be afraid."
Make this lesson your own: change the age, length or language · Printables to go with this lesson · Printables for this story
More teaching resources
More free lessons
See all free lessons